Karaka Million Final Order of Entry
21 January 2008
Saturday's $100,000 Group 2 Ford Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham provided Karaka graduates with their penultimateopportunity to win valuable prizemoney and earn a start in the 2008 Karaka Million, with two horses catapulting themselves into contention.
In a bizarre incident, race leader Fully Fledged (Align - Fledged) jumped through the running rail on the home straight leaving Captain Fantastic (Fantastic Light - Regal Ash) to claim the $59,375 for the winner. This shot the Fantastic Light colt to third on the current Order of Entry for trainers Mike and Paul Moroney.
Second placegetter Reuben Thorn (Thorn Park - Our Sportsgirl) isn't Karaka Million eligible, but third placegetter Fyfetheknife (Spartacus - Fontana) grabbed the valuable $9,500 for third place to put him in the current top fourteen for Richard and Chris Otto.
The final two-year-old fixture before nominations for the 2008 Karaka Million close tomorrow (22 January) was today's The Searchers in Upper Hut 2YO Maiden (1000m) which had $6,250 on offer to the winner. Only four horses in the race were eligible and the final result did not change the current Order of Entry.
The $1,000,000 Karaka Million (Res. L) (1200m) will be conducted atthe Auckland Racing Club's Ellerslie racecourse next Sunday (27th January). The first race on the six-race card will be at 5:10pm (not 4:35pm as earlier advertised).
The five support races at the Karaka Million Twilight Meeting are being conducted with the generous sponsorship of Karaka vendors Tamgaly NZ, Whakanui Stud, Pencarrow Stud, Cambridge Stud and The Oaks Stud.
Owners and trainers are reminded that their eligible horses must be nominated for the Karaka Million by 12pm on Tuesday 22 January in the usual manner.
A maximum number of fourteen starters will line up in the Karaka Million. If the number of final acceptors exceeds this number then elimination will be according to the gross value of prize money won by each acceptor, with horses with the least amount eliminated first.
The Barrier Draw for the 2008 Karaka Million will take place at the Te Rapa Racecourse this Wednesday (23 January), and will be broadcast on Trackside on Wednesday at 12:35pm.
The Karaka Million (at 7:23pm NZ time) will be broadcast on Trackside and Sky Australia.